Canopy for luminaires



, s. aKBAuT Aug. 7,41945.

` CANOPY. Fon LUMINAIRES Filed Feb. 5, 1943 INVENTo'R l Samzze//dw.

" ATToRN Y WITNESSES:

Patented Aug.- 7, 1,945

y oANoPY Fon lLUivuNAnnts Samuel B. KrautfCleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ot Pennsylvania Application February5, 1943, Serial No. 474,807

(Cl. 24o-25) 7 Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to luminaires and, more particularly,to Waterproof canopies for outdoor luminaires such as those commonh1used for street and highway lighting. Luminaires for street and highwaylighting are subjected to severe weather conditions, making it necessaryto guard -againstexcessive moisture accumulations` canopy comprised of'pper and lower inverted cup-shaped elements secured together in looselytherein; These luminaires generally comprise a canopyq or cap to whichthe reector and globe assembly are attached in a watertight manner.

-The assembly is usually supported by a tubular member in the form of vapipe bracket or the like through which the lead-in conductors extend tothe lamp socket mounted` within the canopy.

It has been found that it is very dilcult, if not impossible tov make anassembly of this kind watertight to the extent that moisture will notenter the canopy through the support bracket. Moisturefmay enter throughthe threaded connection between the end of the bracket and the top ofthe canopy, through 4the inside oi the bracket, or moisture may condenseon the confltting overlapped relation, the upper one of which, togetherVwith the top of the lower, provides an upper compartment for receivingand draining away any moisture which mayenter through or around thesupporting bracket and the lower one of which provides a lowerwaterproof compartment for mounting the lamp socket.

A further object of my invention is to provide a canopy which is soconstructed that the lamp' supported thereunder is protected againstexcessive moisture regardless of the amount of moisture in the air andalso the amount of moisture which may enterthe canopy through thesupport.

These and other objects of my invention .will

I become more apparent from the following'descripductor leads andtheinside walls of the bracket.

, vConsiderable field trouble has been caused from such moistureaccumulation within the canopy regardless of the use of gaskets or`othersealing materials to makethe assembly .as waterproof as possible.This is particularly true of luminaires using large lamps for the reasonthat a drop of wateror particles of moisture coming into con-- tact withthe hot lamp will cause'it to explode.

VVarious expedients have been used to overcome this diiliculty but theyhave not been successful for the reason that they do not eiectivelyprotect the vital parts of the luminaire from moisture accumulation. y

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a canopy foroutdoor luminaires which tion when read in conjunction with the drawing,

wherein: i

Figure 1 is a side elevational view vof a conventional outdor luminaireshowing -how the can-- opy of my invention may be used.

Fig. 2-is an enlarged cut away view in elevation' of the canopy shown inFig. 1, showing the structural details and arrangement of parts, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along vline III- III of Fig. 2 showingthe relation of the two may be successfully used for rlgidmounting and ninner wiring of the luminaire and which shall function to eiectivelyexclude moisture from the socket and lamp region of the luminaire.

A more 'speciilc'object of my invention is to provide a canopyvin which4the supporting and socket containing portions thereof are so isolated.as to prevent the entrance of moisture into the socket containingportion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a canopy ofthe characterdescribed comprising upper and lower sections orcompartments with pro`Avision for draining anyl accumulation of moisture Vfrom the -uppercompartment without its coming into contact with the lamp or lamp socketin the.-

lo'wer compartment;

Another objectof my invention is to' provide` a parts or sections of thecanopy.

Referring to Fig. 1 the luminaire shown is a typical outdoor luminairecomprising a globe I0, reflector II and canopy I2 assembled in a-wellknown manner to provide an enclosed unit.

Referring to Fig. '2 which shows a preferred embodiment of my invention,the canopy I2, pre- 'ferably of two-piece construction comprised of alower inverted cup-shaped member I3 and an upper inverted cup-shapedmember I4 secured thereto in overlapping relation, as shown. The objectof this construction is to provide a canopy having upper and lowerisolated compartments.

The lower member I3 is utilized to support the reiiector Iland lampsocket I5 and lamp I6 in the usual marmer. The upper member I4 isdetachably secured Vto the upper edge of the lower member and isprovided with a threaded bracket I8 and lead-in conductors I9.

the lamp socket I5 'by means of insulated mem- 23 of thelower member isprovided with a pair Y In this instance, the lead-in conductors I9 areextended'through the canopy to the terminals of bers'A 2l and the shortleads i2.' The top portion t of openings Ifor'receivingthe terminalmem-- bers 2i as shown'. These openings are surrounded provides a lowercompartment for housing the lamp socket l5 which-iswaterproof and whichis also completely isolated from the upper com Apartment formed by theupper member I4.

In order to provide for drainingA any accumulation of moisture from theupper compartment, the upper and lower-,members I4 and I3 are soconnected together as to provide drainage spaces 3l therebetween as bestshown in Fig. 3'.

The upper edgeof the lower member I3 is preferably provided with acircumferentialrecess 32 which receives the lower edge of the uppermember I4 in overlapping'relation. The upper member I4 is provided withspaced internal -lug portions 33 which engage the vertical wall of therecess 32 and space the innerwall 34 of the upper member therefrom tosuch extent as to provide an adequate drainage opening.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom portion 35 of the recess 32 may be slopeddownwardly and the lower edge of the upper member I4 sloped in the samemanner so that they may be spaced apart to form a circumferentiallyextending slot 36 communicating with the vertical spaces 3l.

The upper and lower-members may be secured together in any suitablemanner such, for -example, as by means of the tap screws 31 which extendthroughv suitable transverse openings in the rim of the upper member I4and engage threaded openings in the upper edge of the lower member I3.

In assembling the canopy for use, the lower 'member I3 is removed'inorder that the lead-in conductors I9 maybe attached to the terminalmembers 2I 'and then the lower member is secured to the-upper member bymeans of the tap In View of the foregoing description, it will beapparent that my invention provides a canopy which is Waterproof in thesense 'that moisture accumulating therein cannot come into contact withthe lamp socket o r the lamp supported thereby'. Any moistureaccumulation through the threaded connection .between 'the end of thebracket and the top of the canopy, through the bracket or the conductorleads is caught in the upper compartment of fthe' canopy which iscompletelyisolated from the-lower .compartment and effectively drainedtherefrom to the outside of the luminaire. The construction is such thathigh wattage lamps are protected independently `of the amount ofmoisture in the air orlwhich may enter the canopy` throughthe supportingbracket or otherwise.

The drainage openings or spaces areof. such up'- and cease to function.

Any tendency 'on the part of air currentsset upby heat generated by thelamp to drawdirt shape and size that they 'cannot become plugged .andother foreign matter into the' canopy, cannot result in any-harm to theelectrical connections for theA 'reason that the upper -and lowercompartments of the canopy 'are' completely iso- 1,

lated.

Another advantage of this construction is that the drainage openingsbetween the upper and lowersections provides for an adequate circulationof air for cooling purposes.

Although I have described a speciilc embodiment of my invention, it willbe apparent that various changes may be made in the detailedconstruction without departing from the principles of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A canopy for luminaires comprising, a lower inverted cup-shapedmember for mounting a lamp socket, the top portion of said member havinga plurality of openings therein and a downwardly and outwardly slopingupper edge portion forming-a circumferential recess, an insulatedterminal member mounted in each of said openings in sealed relation tothe top portion, an upper inverted cup-shaped member attached tothelower member over the insulated terminals, said upper member having athreaded opening therein to receive a mounting bracket and having itslower rim disposed in said circumferential rev cess in overlapping andspaced relation both radially and axially with the upper edge of thelower member to provide 'elongated circumferentially extending drainageopenings therebetween, said drainage openings extending throughout amajor `."IO portionof the circumference of the upper cupshaped member,and means detachably securing the upper and lower cup-shaped memberstogether. v v

2. A'canopy for luminaires comprising, a-lower l invertedcup-shapedmember having an integral top portion for mounting a lampsocket and an upper inverted cup-shaped' member positioned thereon withits lower edgefin overlapping relation with the upper edge of the lowermember, 40 said upper cup-shaped member having a plurality of` spacedintegral lug portions formed therein adjacent its lower edge disposed toengage the outer wall of the upper end of .the lower cup` shaped member,means extending transversely through the overlappingportlons ofsaidmembers'to attach them together, the -J'oint between said members havingcircumferentially extending openings through which any moistureaccumulating in the upper member may drain to the outside, vand a pairof terminalmembers mounted upon and. extending through the top portionvof the lower member for connecting lead-in conductors to the socket,said terminal members being mounted lon said top portion in an insulatedand waterproof manner, thereby to exclude any 'moisture which mayaccumulate in the upper member from the interior of the lower member.

. 3. A canopy for outdoor luminaires, comprising a pair of invertedcup-shaped members at-v tached together one above the other in partiallytelescoping relationfthe lower member having openings in the top thereoffor terminalV members and means therein for mounting a lamp. socket, theupper member having an opening to l receive lead-in conductors, terminalmembers mounted in said openings in the top of the lower member andattached thereto in watertightrek lation, said upper and lower membersbeing spaced apart circumferentially in both radial and axial directionsat the joint therebetween to provide elongated drainagev openings havingccnvnected vertical and downwardlysloping'portions 'through whichaccumulated moisture in the up per member may drain of! without co into,

contact with the lamp socket or a lamp supported thereby.'

4. A canopy for luminaires comprising, an inverted cup-shaped lowermember for housing a lamp socket and having a plurality of openings inthe topthereof and a circumferential recess adjacent its upper edgehaving a downwardly and outwardly sloping bottom portion, an invertedcup-shaped upper member mounted thereon in partially telescopingrelation with its lower end disposed in said recess to provide an luppercompartment, said lower end of the upper cup-shaped member also having adownwardly and outwardly sloping surface of generally the same slope asthe bottom of the circumferential recess adjacent the upper edge of thelower cupshaped member, means for detachably securing said upper andlower member together, saidmembers being joined in both radial and axialspaced relation at their telescoping portions to provide drainage spacestherebetween at the bottom of the upper compartment, and'a plurality ofinsulated terminal members mounted in the upper compartment on the topof the lower cupshaped member and extending through the top t. openingstherein, said terminal members being sealed in watertight relation tothe top of the lower member.

5. A canopy for luminaires comprising, a lower inverted cup-shapedmember for housing the lamp socket, said member having a pair ofterminal receiving openings in the top thereof and a circumferentialrecessadjacent vits upperedge, an upper cup-shaped member mounted uponsaidlower member in inverted relation with its lower edge disposed insaid recess and having av threaded opening in the top thereof to receivethe end of a tubular mounting bracket, the inside diameter of said uppermember being greater at spaced intervals than the outside diameter vofthe upper end of the lower member to provide drainage openings formoisture, means attaching the upper and lower members together tomainfor housing a lamp socket having a pair of openings in its top`portion surrounded by upstanding flange portions, an insulated terminalmember l mounted in each of said openings upon the flange portions withwaterproof gaskets interposed between abutting portions of the topportion andA terminal member to provide a water-tight jointtherebetween, said lower member having a circumferential recess adjacentits upper edge, an upper inverted cup-shaped member attached to theupper edge of the lower member over the terminal members with its loweredge disposed in said recess in` overlapping relation with the topportion of the lower member, the lower edge of the upper member beingspaced from the adjacent portions of the lower member to provideelongated circumferential drainage openings therebetween through whichany moisture accumulating in the upper member may drain to the outside.

7. A waterproof canopy for luminaires of the pendant type wherein thecanopy supports the lamp socket and reflector-globe assembly comprising,a lower inverted cup-shaped member for housing a lamp socket having apair of openings apart transverse threaded openings therein to receivetap screws, an upper inverted cupshaped member mounted upon the lowermember with its lower edge disposed in said recess in overlappingrelation with the top portion, said upper member having spaced internallug portions with openings therethrough opposite the transverse threadedopenings in the lower member, said lug portions serving to space theinner wall of the upper member from the overlapped portion of the lowermember to provide circumferentially extending openings therebetween andtap screws disposed in said openings in the upper and lower members todetachably secure said members together with the lower edge of the uppermember in spaced relation to the bottom of the recess in the lowermember.

SAMUEL B. KRAUT.

